By correctly spelling arsenic, Prajwal Chummar, a sixth-grader this fall at Silver Trail Middle School in Southwest Ranches, clinched a berth in the National Spelling Bee September 26 in New York City.

According to a news release, regional bees were held in 26 locations across the country -- the South Florida version of which was staged yesterday at the Pembroke Lakes Mall Macy's, which is the corporate sponsor.

Chummar was helped, it seems, by the bee's emphasis on words that are related to the green movement. "I'm good with earth themes," he told the bee's media staff.

Also, Chummar was helped by the Broward School District, not just by the wonderful teachers who nurtured his love of language but by School Board members, who were so busy bankrupting the district with excessive building that they didn't have time to screw up his curriculum. Take a bow, everybody!